Page 48 of Her Royal Rebellion

I nodded. “I don’t want you to hold back.”

“I want you, Logan. You can try to give me all the space and time in the world, but I don’t need to think about it. I know exactly how I feel about you.”

“But it isn’t just that, Isla. It’s not that simple. You might have feelings for me, but please try to think past this moment. Past staying at this house. Think about telling your parents, the public, the government. Are you ready for that ridicule? The hate we’ll receive? Not just from the people in Lochland, but from around the world. They don’t want to see two people like us together. They want their romantic fairy tales. You’re the country’s sweetheart. The people want you to marry someone famous. They hold you to the highest standard.”

She waited for me to finish, then smiled. “Logan, I know all of that. I’ve faced it my entire life. You don’t think I heard backlash when I chose my university? When I decided to focus on children’s charities? Every single decision I’ve made has come with unwelcome feedback. I know there will be pressure and questions and opinions, but none of that matters to me. I choose you.”

I needed to hear that, more than she could know, but there was still a part of me that held back from fully accepting it.

“We’ll need your parents’ blessing. That’s not an option.”

She sighed. “I know. It might take time, but they’ll come around. Once they see how happy we make each other.”

That’s where the majority of my doubt laid. I didn’t think the king and queen would care about our feelings. They would look at me, my upbringing, my job, my station, and turn me away. They’d probably have me assigned as far away from her as possible.

“You have to believe me, Logan. I know them. All they really want is for me to be happy. They might go about it the wrong way at times, but they won’t refuse me.”

“I can’t provide a life you’re used to. I have some money saved, but it’s not much compared to—”

“Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. You’ve worked incredibly hard for Lochland, my family, and me. Don’t diminish that.” She sighed. “Look around you, this is my favorite place in the world. Not a five-star hotel in the French Riviera. Not a villa in Tuscany or an island in the Caribbean. My cottage is my happiest place. With you here, I have all I could ever want.”

I smiled and looked around the room. There was the bed we were on, two nightstands, and a chair near the window. That was all. It was less than half the size of her room at the palace, but she was right. It was all we could ever need or want.

“I can’t buy you jewels.”

“I prefer chocolates.” She winked.

“No fancy cars or thoroughbred horses.”

“I’d settle for a dog.”

I chuckled. “Your closet won’t always be packed with the newest designs off the runway.”

“You know I prefer comfy sweats whenever possible.”

She was going to have a retort for everything I tried. It made me fall for her even more.

“Isla, you deserve the world. I can’t live knowing I’m responsible for not providing you with it.”

She leaned forward until she was mere inches away. “All I could ever want is in this room right now.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but her grin caught me off guard.

“Logan, I love you.”

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then her words hit me and I couldn’t stop myself. “I love you so much, Isla. I have since the moment I met you.”

This was all I’d ever wanted.

I lowered my lips to hers, sealing our admissions. My chest felt like it was going to burst open.

I trailed my fingertips along her cheek, behind her neck, and into her hair. I held her close, perfectly content to stay in this moment forever.

She opened her mouth and sighed against me before sealing her lips to mine once more.

She pulled back just enough to speak. “Please don’t run from me.”

I rested my forehead against hers. “I won’t. I don’t think I could at this point. It would kill me.”